Addressing diffuse water pollution from agriculture: Do governance structures matter for the nature of measures taken?

Nutrient pollution of freshwaters from agriculture is a key barrier to achieving the water quality goals of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Governance research suggests that governance structures can support the planning of water quality measures. However, it is widely unclear how specific governance structures affect the actual nature of practical measures taken for addressing the wicked problem of diffuse nutrient pollution. This study analyses how the extent of consensual policy styles, organizational and program integra-tion, participatory governance, and the capacities of public authorities are related to the substance of practical measures taken (effect-vs. source-based measures) and the choice of policy instruments (e.g., sermons, carrots, sticks). Based on a comparative case study design including six country cases, document analyses, and expert interviews, we find no clear-cut relationships between the country's governance structures and the types of measures chosen or any trend of a combined effect. This suggests that, in the case of the WFD, governance structures are less important than expected or that different governance structures compensate for the effects on the level of practical measures taken and policy instruments chosen. These results question the dominant assumption that these governance structures matter (a lot) in wicked problem solving and may hint to additional context factors these governance structures are embedded in.

Automated summary

Nutrient pollution from agriculture is a major obstacle to achieving the water quality goals of the European Water Framework Directive. This study analyzes the relationship between governance structures and the practical measures taken to address diffuse nutrient pollution, as well as the choice of policy instruments. The results suggest that the governance structures may not be as important as previously thought in determining the nature of practical measures and policy instrument choices.